


Sweet Home

by mangochi



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Birthday, Fluff, M/M, an ode to chris pine's slutty ankles, prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-15
Updated: 2014-06-15
Packaged: 2018-02-04 19:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1791172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangochi/pseuds/mangochi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard surprises Jim on his birthday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Home

Leonard stares blindly into the darkness and wonders for what feels like the hundredth time if this was a stupid idea after all. It seemed all right at the time, when a handful of acquaintances and passing friends proposed the attack, but time dulls all notion of brilliance and the plan’s starting to look more and more lackluster the longer they wait.

Hell, he’s not ten years old anymore, this kind of thing should feel ridiculous at his age. But this is _Jim_ he’s dealing with here, and the same age restriction rules don’t seem to apply when he’s involved. Leonard thunks his head against the back of the couch and sighs.

The apartment is hardly empty, but whenever Jim’s not here…..it seems like a little more and a little less all at once.

The kid’s late getting back, but all this means is that Leonard’s wired up enough to notice what usually passes as the status quo. Jim’s notoriously late for everything, “fashionably,” he’d argue, but late is late and Leonard hopes wildly that he can still call the whole thing off in time before it becomes more ridiculous than it already is.

There’s a rustle and a thump from the corner, then a muffled groan. “Ow.”

"Shut up, Mitchell," says another voice, this one from somewhere around the kitchen.

"Both of you," Leonard starts, annoyed, then freezes when he hears a click at the door. "He’s here-"

“ _Shhhhh_ ,” a hasty chorus rings out all around him, and Leonard snaps his mouth shut just as the door opens.

"Bones, you home?" he hears Jim call, then a couple of footsteps in the hall. "Jesus, it’s dark in here-"

The lights snap on and several bodies extricate themselves from the various pieces of furniture they’ve crammed behind, yelling at the top of their lungs. Leonard rises up from behind the couch warily in time to hear a small explosion, and suddenly his face is full of shockingly pink confetti.

"Holy crap!" Leonard thinks he hears Jim’s muffled yelp, and he spits glitter from his mouth, looking wryly at the dog pile in the middle of the hall. It’s all a tangle of elbows and knees, Jim’s foot sticking out from the bottom of the heap.

"Happy birthday, asshole!" Mitchell shouts cheerfully, emerging red-faced from the heap and dragging Jim out by the collar. Jim catches Leonard’s gaze as he surfaces, his eyes wide in shock and bemusement as he’s plopped into the armchair.

Presents emerge seemingly out of nowhere, haphazardly wrapped packages that all share the suspicious shapes of various illicit items.

"This is the _real_ stuff, man-“

"Back off, Finney, I was here first-"

Leonard shakes his head and waits out the storm. He doesn’t know most of the people here, only recognizes a couple of faces from passing in the hallways and whenever he’s with Jim. They all seem like the type Jim would attract- wide grins and brazen attitudes and a penchant for getting into trouble.

Fortunately, it’s only a few more minutes before Jim declares the party over and ushers their impromptu guests out the door. As soon as the last hooting yells and bursts of laughter fade away, Jim closes the door, leaning back against it with a sigh.

"Cake’s in the fridge," Leonard says wryly. "What’s left of it, anyway. A couple of them got hungry while we were waiting."

Jim nods absently, straightening his rumpled jacket. “This your idea?” He gestures vaguely, and Leonard snorts.

"Of course not." He frowns, trying to remember _whose_ idea it was. “Didn’t think you’d want something big. I was going to order in when you got back.”

Jim grimaces, throwing himself down on the couch beside Leonard and slouching down, tipping his head back against the cushions wearily. “Sorry for being late.”

"You’re always late," Leonard says dismissively. He watches Jim close his eyes, feeling the package dig into his back. "I, um. I got you something."

"You shouldn’t have," Jim says, without opening his eyes. Somehow, that gives Leonard the nerve to reach behind the cushion and pull out the bag, tossing it onto Jim’s lap with just the right amount of fond annoyance.

Jim opens his eyes, and he looks down at the package. “You really got me something?”

Leonard grunts, looking away as Jim begins to open the present. He listens to the crinkle of tissue paper, clasping his hands over his knees to keep both of them from twitching.

Then Jim stops, and Leonard’s breath catches.

"Socks."

Leonard glances over uneasily. Jim’s staring down fixedly at the contents of the present, his face unreadable. “Yeah. Y’know.” Leonard falters, feeling suddenly awkward and out of his depth. “I mean, you’re always goin’ around without them, aren’t you? It’s annoying as hell.”

Too many times he’s seen Jim leave their apartment with an inch of bare skin showing between the bottom of his pants and the tops of his shoes with each step.The inconsistency itself should be more than enough reason, but recently, Leonard’s been finding himself more bothered by other…….aspects. It’s downright inappropriate, he’s decided. Like an unintentional strip tease.

Leonard finds himself toppling over, flailing against the sudden weight of Jim hanging onto his neck. “ _Jesus_ , Jim, what are you-“

"Thanks," Jim says in his ear, tightening his grip. "For the socks. And the party."

"It wasn’t my idea," Leonard reminds him. He’s flushing, he knows, and it only worsens when Jim kisses the side of his neck above his collar.

"Thanks anyway." Jim kisses him again, this time on the cheek, and Leonard turns instinctively, catching the next kiss with his mouth.

"Mmm," Jim says in delight, reaching over and setting the socks blindly on the coffee table before grabbing Leonard’s shirt and pulling him sideways. Leonard catches himself instinctively against the back of the couch and the armrest, staring down at Jim as the other man laughs and leans up, pressing his lips against Leonard’s forehead affectionately.

"Happy birthday, Jim," Leonard blurts out, and Jim’s eyes soften.

"Yeah," Jim whispers, and he pulls Leonard down again for another kiss.


End file.
